I2. The Origin huts or cabanes; which, as Mons.

Buffon tells us, is not always the same;

of Language sO that it would appear they have different opinions of things as well as
we: whereas instinct performs every thing in the same invariable manner.
I am therefore persuaded, that the beaver did, from experience and
and Society
observation, the old teaching the young, learn the architecture of his dike
and his hut, as we have learned our architecture and other arts.
James Burnet
3dly, Another thing absolutely required, as preparatory to the in­
vention of a language, is, that men should previously have formed ideas to
be expressed by language: for it is impossible to conceive a language of
(Lord Monboddo)
proper names only without general terms. Now, ideas must have been
formed by an animal, such as man, carrying on any common business,
and operating, not by instinct, but learning by observation and experi­
ence. For such an animal must have an idea of the end for which he acts,
and of the means for attaining that end. For, as I have shown, every
In the preceding book, we have placed man in a state of society and of
animal that does not act from instinct, like the bee or the spider, must act
political union, carrying on of commOn consent, and with joint labour,
with knowledge of the end. Besides, man, in the state in which I have
some work necessary for defence, or thc support of life. In this situation,
described him, must necessarily have had ideas, however imperfect, of
and this only, could language have been invented. But more was neces­ ~'.
trees and animals, and other objects, with which he was conversant: and
sary for the invention of so difficult an art. And, in the first place, the ~.
he must have had more perfect ideas of the instruments of art which he
proper organs of pronunciation wcre indispensably required. These are
used; especially if they were of his own invention.
given to some few animals besides man; but I believe they are in none so
Lastly, It appears to me to have required an extraordinary degree of
perfect.
sagacity, to invent so artificial a thing as speech; nor do I think that there
2dly, They must have bcen a very long time in this political state; so
is any animal other than man yet discovered, unless perhaps it be the
long at least as to have improved into an art the business they were
beaver, that has sagacity enough to have invented it: for however easy
carrying on; by which I do not mcan to require, that they should have
the invention may seem, now that it is discovered, and so commonly
been regular artists, knowing the causes and principles of their art, and
practised; yet it was truly far from being obvious, but, on the contrary,
operating by certain rules which they could demonstrate from those
very far removed from common apprehension. For, in the first place,
principles; but my meaning is, that they n,ust have improved their rude
Man, as we have seen, does not naturally form articulate sounds; but, on
practice at first into a better practice by observation and experience; and,
~he contrary, it is a great work of art, difficult to be learned even after it is
in that way, have fixed a certain method of doing the thing, which, when
mvented, but infinitelv more difficult to be invented. 2dly, Suppose this
it is done by degrees, and from observation and experience, may not
first difficulty got ov~r, and articulate sounds invented, it was by no
improperly be called an art. For, as I have already observed, one of the ~eans an obvious thought, to apply them to the expression of ideas, with
great differences betwixt instinct and art is, that what is done by instinct, ~ greater part of which they have no connection, at least that is easily
is performed as well at first as at last; whereas art is necessarily formed C?v~red; for though there be words expressing certain sounds, which
by gradual improvements. In short, before man could have invented a are imitations of those sounds, it is certain that by far the greater part of
language, he must have been perhaps for many ages in the same state the ;ords are not natural signs of ideas. And how is it possible they should?
beaver is in as I have described it above. For the beaver, of all the Or what natural connection is there betwixt the idea of a tree, ex. gr. the
animals we know, that are not, like the Ouran Outangs, of our species, ~, the sun, the moon, and any articulation of sound? And indeed the
comes the nearest to us in sagacity, and, as I have already observ~d, rna ng ideas in this way audible, appears to me to have been full as
appears to have some other principle of action beside instinct; of whIC~ great a refinement of art, as the so-much-boasted discovery of making
SOUnds
h VlSt. 'ble, I mean the invention of alphabetical characters; and so
there is a proof that I have not mentioned, arising from the form of theIr
: cki the more wonderful, that it was invented in a much earlier age of
From James Burnet (Lord Monboddo), On the Origin and Progress of Lan­ th ~. n.d. And it must appear still more wonderful when we consider,
pp. 300-312.
guage. FaCSimile printed by Scolar Press Limited, 1967:
a it is not the only method of communication, and therefore not abso­